In Houston, prosecutors announced the indictment of Rep. Borris Miles, who is accused of bizarre conduct. Miles allegedly threatened people with a gun on two separate occasions and forced a woman to kiss him at a holiday party. Miles owns an insurance company and hopefully carries a generous lawsuit insurance policy. Continue reading “The Eyes (and Lips) of Texas Are Upon You: Texas Lawmaker Indicted for Pulling Gun (and Forced Kissing) at Two Events”
Category: Politics
In light of today’s story on the debate over the Virginia damage caps on tort lawsuits against the state, this prior column may be of some interest. Continue reading “Tort Reform and Legal Mythologies: Re-Examining Limits on Tort Actions and Damage Awards”
As discussed on this blog, Virginia’s $100,000 limit on tort claims against the state was one of the central reasons why families agreed to a settlement with Virginia at a relatively low figure. Now, finally, someone is seeking to change the cap which has not be raised in over a decade. Continue reading “Virginia Considers Raising the Caps on Lawsuits After Virginia Tech Settlement”
Hillary Clinton appears to be reaping the fruits of a faith-based, hunter-friendly campaign. In the past, Clinton has campaigned hard on her faith in seeking support of religious voters. She has also insisted recently that she is a long-time supporter of hunting and even shot a duck. Now, however, she is being hounded for the last date that she actually went to church or fired a gun. Clinton insists that such questions are no longer “relevant.” My concern is that with the duck-gap with Obama will lead to his shooting a goose, then Hillary shooting a deer, then Obama shooting a rhino . . . It could lead to the largest non-asteroid loss of animals in history. Continue reading “Good Hill Hunting: Church Going and Duck Shooting Become Central Issues in Presidential Campaign”
According to the New York Times, former attorney general Alberto Gonzales can’ find a job after been rebuffed by law firms who are not eager to add a name now synonymous with incompetence and blind partisanship – not to mention torture. Still, these would be some interesting “ding letters”: “Dear General Gonzales, our lawyers were very impressed with your interview and resume. However, every year our firms receives countless applications from former attorney generals . . . .” Continue reading “Firms Say No to Bush Yes Man: Alberto Gonzales Having Difficulty Finding Full-Time Job”
Detroit is embroiled in a new political controversy in a rather spectacular confrontation between President Pro Tem Monica Conyers and President Kenneth Cockrel in the city council. As previously discussed here. Monica Conyers, wife of U.S. Rep. (and House Judiciary Chairman) John Conyers, has been accused of assault in Detroit. She is now being accused of disrupting a meeting of the city council in the video below. Cockrel brought the gravel down on the meeting in an angry verbal battle with Conyers. Continue reading “Video: Detroit’s Political Crisis Continues with Open Fight in the City Council”
Rick and Nancy Pearcey are well-known leaders of the religious right and advocates of the intelligent design movement. Rick’s latest effort are directed at Ronald McDonald. He has declared war on the company for ties to the gay community — a move that he predicts will undermine the very foundations of this Republic. Continue reading “Gay Burgers: McDonalds Attacked for Undermining the Republic With Ties to the Gay Business Community”
In an interesting twist in the judicial misconduct case against Florida First District Court of Appeal Judge Michael Allen, the Florida Supreme Court issued an order asking the Judicial Qualifications Commission to explain why it filed an ethics complaint against Allen, signaling a possible move toward dismissal in the controversy over his attacking a fellow judge in an opinion. Continue reading “Florida Supreme Court Reviews Judicial Misconduct Case Against Judge Allen”
Hillary Clinton’s superdelegate strategy has highlighted the flaws in our electoral college system — and the need to finally embrace democracy in its truest form in the selection of the President of the United States. The column below explores the controversy.
Continue reading “De-Accrediting the Electoral College: The Real Costs of a Constitutional Relic”
This week, Michael Gableman celebrated a considerable victory: the first defeat of an incumbent judge in 40 years for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. His opponent Louis Butler was also the first African American on the Court. Yet, the $5 million race shows the steady trend toward high-priced campaigns to change the make-up of courts by legal and corporate interests. Continue reading “The $5 Million Judge: Wisconsin Race Sets Record in Money and Meanness”
There is a controversy brewing over at Wikipedia. Someone at the office of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence appears to have edited out an article about Major Alan Rogers, who died serving this country in Iraq. The Pentagon editor apparently objected to the recognition of the fact that Rogers was not only a hero, but gay. Continue reading “Pentagon Accused of Editing Out Wikipedia Reference to Solider’s Sexual Orientation”
The Clintons waited until Friday to finally release their tax returns — a well-known technique in Washington to try to burn out a story over a weekend to reduce public attention. It will not likely work when the papers show that the Clinton, who always complained of being financially strapped, have acquired almost $110 million since leaving the White House. However, they are not releasing their 2007 taxes — instead asking for an extension with only a summary submitted to the IRS. What is known likely to raise some interesting questions about the sources of income used to fund Hillary Clinton’s campaign, particularly from foreign sources. Continue reading “The Arkansas Greenbacks: The Clinton Rake in $109 Million Since Leaving White House”
The West Virginia Supreme Court has again voted 3-2 to support a mining company despite a controversy over the possible bias of some of its members, including one justice who refused to recuse himself despite massive campaign contributions from one of the interested parties. In so ruling, Harman Mining and its owner, Hugh Caperton will not have to pay a $50 million award granted in 2002. Continue reading “West Virginia Supreme Court Sides with Mining Company Amidst Criticism of Bias”
The tobacco industry won a major appeal today when the Second Circuit threw out an $800 billion class-action lawsuit based on allegedly misleading light cigarettes ads. While light or low-tar cigarettes have proven the most promising area of litigation for plaintiffs, there is a strong trend against massive class actions. Continue reading “$800 Billion Up in Smoke: Court Throws Out Massive Class Action on Light Cigarettes”
Today, I testified in the House Judiciary Committee (Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security), on the new proposed changes to the rules governing federal restitution. They are quite extreme. Continue reading “Testimony on New Federal Restitution Law”